Yesterday the girls made friends with the kids that work at the Ingalls Homestead. They invited the girls to help get the animals ready for todays work. The girls were up early, had breakfast and got the trailer ready because we were leaving right afterward.
We drove down the road and across the street to another property with all the animals. What a menagerie. Three teams of horses, a pair of mules, riding horses, several ponies, as well as dogs and cats. Oh life on a farm.
Sam was first to help get a wagon team ready. She helped Jacob get Stiner and Stoner ready for the day. After getting all the tack on the horses, she walked them out to the wagon and helped to hitch them up.
Josie and Mackensie helped to get the pony cart ready. While Mackensie left on the pony cart, Josie walked Dolly with Lilac over to the wagon. Dolly walks behind the wagon over to the homestead. And Lilac follows her mother everywhere.
Josie stayed at the barn to help get the next team of horses ready. Then Tim, the wonderful guide, offered to let Josie take the horses out for a ride. She helped Tim saddle up Colonel and Butler. Josie road Butler while Bryan rode with Josie on Colonel. "Please, no running," Tim had to remind Bryan.
Not to be left out, Sam had a chance to go for a ride on Butler with Bryan and Colonel as well.
We decided that we would drive state highway 14 instead of turning back to I-90 so that we could go through Walnut Grove, MN, another Laura Ingalls Wilder home site.
We drove for several hours on the back country highway. Crossed into Minnesota, and eventually reached Walnut Grove. We got some lunch before going to the home site. Walnut Grove was a dugout home on the banks of Plum Creek. There's not much there now, except a depression on the banks.
We left Walnut Grove on our way to Rochester, MN. We reached Owatonna for gas. We decided to have a "clunk" on the front tire checked out at the WalMart. They couldn't do much, but suggested it might be wheel bearings and that driving on it much longer might not be a good idea.
Guess it's time to find a camping spot. We found the River View RV park on the outskirts of town (thanks Google) and got a spot. The girls hit the pool while I cooked some dinner.
I'll see about getting the car fixed in the morning.
Driving Music of the day: Boston, Elton John, Across the Universe Soundtrack
4:15 travel time for 254 miles.
